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Pain in Foot, tingling toes - doctor not being helpful

12 replies

Parslee · 22/05/2014 13:00

Long shot but thought I'd try here for some advice!

I've been getting pain in my foot for a couple of months now. Its my left foot, between the mid-line and outer edge, on the top of the foot about half way down. The pain comes and goes, some days I can barely walk, other days its not so bad. Uneven ground or treading on a lump unawares can be very painful. The past week I've also been getting tingling/pins and needles in the outer two or three toes, progressing to slight numbness. I've not not had any obvious injury or knock, and I don't run or anything at the moment, but do walk a lot.

I saw a doctor three weeks ago, and on her advice took full doseage ibuprofen three times a day for two weeks, as an anti-inflammatory. No better once I stopped taking them, so have been back and seen a different doctor today. He reckons its metatarsalgia, and has told me to use ibuprofen gel three times a day for a month. He googled it in the surgery and showed me a webpage listing the symptoms, and I said at the time that the description of metatarsalgia did not match what I had - it described pain in the ball of the foot, or underside of the foot, my pain is nearer the top. He was fairly dismissive, told me to use the gel and come back if it didn't improve. He also suggested wearing sensible shoes (I was wearing flat sandals!).

Neither doctor really seemed to have a clue what might be causing the pain so I am reaching out to see if anyone else has an idea! If it is metatarsalgia then fine, but having looked it up at home it really does not sound like it. The numbness in the toes is worrying me as that has come on over the past few days - I have visions of them turning blue and falling off while the doctors just keep me on ibuprofen!! Any advice or ideas please??

OP posts:
idontlikealdi · 22/05/2014 13:14

Could it be this - plantar fasciitis?

I've self diagnosed myself and flat shoes actually make it worse.

Bonsoir · 22/05/2014 13:16

If you are wearing sandals, maybe your toes aren't warm enough? Try wearing sensible (= warm) footwear.

Parslee · 22/05/2014 13:29

Plantar fasciitis seems to involve heel pain which I don't have. And I don't think its cold toes - the rest of my toes are fine!! The tingling and numbness has only started the past week or so, the pain has been going on for nearly two months. Thanks for the ideas though Smile

OP posts:
Frusso · 22/05/2014 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Parslee · 22/05/2014 13:43

Its only the toes that are tingling and getting numb, mainly the little toe and the next one in, the middle toe less so. No pain up leg at all (other than when I'e been limping a lot anyway, compensating for the pain is causing intermitant issues with my lower leg and knee). Pain is focused on the top/mid/outside of the foot, with occasional stabs up towards the anklebone, or across the whole top of the foot if I tread on something awkwardly. Definitely top of foot, not bottom. Pain has been around for nearly two months, the tingling/numbness only a week.

OP posts:
PennySillin · 22/05/2014 13:45

Sounds a little like a tendonitis but without a proper assessment could be anything. A physio would help you out, could you make an appointment with one locally or go back to your GP and ask for a referral as their treatment has failed to help.?

Frusso · 22/05/2014 13:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Superking · 22/05/2014 21:22

Morton's neuroma? I had this when pregnant although the pain was not as severe as you are describing. The numb/ tingling toes sounds very familiar.

FabULouse · 22/05/2014 21:51

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Parslee · 22/05/2014 22:14

The doctor mentioned Morton's Neuroma, but said you could usually feel a little lump between the toes, and I haven't got anything like that. I'll check the symptoms though. Thanks for the suggestions!

OP posts:
Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 22/05/2014 22:36

Trapped nerve? I have exactly the same thing that you are describing in my ankle. Shooting pain and numb toes. My doctor said probably a trapped nerve. Mine is probably caused by the sciatica I am currently also experiencing. Hmm

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 23/05/2014 22:54

Mortons Neuroma is aggrevated by lateral pressure (like when you have a shoe on ) or my squeezing the sides of the foot.
There's a sign called a "Muldhers Click" which is an audible noise (just before the audible noise of the scream of the foots' owner )

Mortons is a thickening of the nerve fibre usually between 3rd and 4th because in alot of people the 4th Metatarsal can be short.

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